Quady North Pistoleta 2016
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Wilfred
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This is Quady North's 7th vintage of “Pistoleta”; their signature Rhone White blend. Stone fruit flavors, including apricot, and nectarines predominate, with notes of honey and citrus. The wine runs the edge of crispness and unctuousness, with a lip-smacking quality.
Blend: 42% Viognier, 27% Marsanne, 19% Roussanne, 12% Grenache Blanc
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Close to half Viognier, this is cofermented with Roussanne and Marsanne, then blended with 7% Grenache Blanc. A small portion of the Viognier was fermented in Acacia oak. Deep and rich flavors are packed with sliced pear, then range on through oranges and mixed citrus, adding a touch of vanilla in a fresh tangy lingering finish.
Editors' Choice -
Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: I would never have considered that the Rogue Valley in Southern Oregon would make such a delightfully fragrant and crisp white wines from Rhône grape varieties, but the proof is here. In 2003 Herb Quady, convinced that this was the place, moved his family to this area and we are now seeing the fruits of his labor. TASTING NOTES. This wine gushes out with fragrant flowers and core fruits in its aromas, offers a nice generosity on the palate; and finishes crisp and bright. Pair its aromatic qualities with a Thai chicken noodle soup accented with fresh basil leaves. (Tasted: February 8, 2018, San Francisco, CA)
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Full-bodied and flavorful, white Rhône blends originate from France’s Rhône Valley. Today these blends are also becoming popular in other regions. Typically some combination of Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier form the basis of a white Rhône blend with varying degrees of flexibility depending on the exact appellation. Somm Secret—In the Northern Rhône, blends of Marsanne and Roussanne are common but the south retains more variety. Marsanne, Roussanne as well as Bourboulenc, Clairette, Picpoul and Ugni Blanc are typical.
As the the largest region in the greater Southern Oregon AVA, bordering California, the Rogue Valley AVA grows the most diverse array of grape varieties compared to any other Oregon appellation.
The Rogue Valley AVA is actually made up of three adjacent river valleys—not just one as its name suggests—Bear Creek, Applegate and Illinois. These valleys extend from the foothills of the Siskiyou Mountains, a coastal sub range of the Klamath Mountains. Most Rogue Valley vineyards are planted on hillsides at elevations of 1,200 to 2,000 feet where soils are metamorphic, sedimentary and volcanic.
On one end Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Tempranillo, Syrah and Sauvignon Blanc benefit from a warm and dry climate. To the west end of the Rogue Valley, cool-climate grapes like Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, Muscat and Gewürztraminer do best. Dolcetto, Grenache and Zinfandel also grow in the Rogue Valley AVA.
Early European settlers first started growing grapes here in the 1840s, the most famous of whom was a pioneer named, Peter Britt. He also opened Oregon’s first official winery (which later closed in 1907). Today, besides its great wines, the region is known for the Britt Music & Arts festival, which inhabits Peter Britt’s former hillside estate, and the Ashland, Oregon Shakespeare Festival.